Ryu observed Rina gently adjust Souji's blanket in the quiet Land of Rivers hospital, observing the fresh flowers, a vibrant display of her devotion. Ryu took a deep breath as Rina left and the door closed, filling the room with silence. He proceeded to Souji's bedside and watched the young man staring at the ceiling in silence.
Ryu said, "Rough day, huh, Souji?… No one to talk to for a long time, and now they wouldn't stop asking questions… right?"
In Ryu's perspective, letters appeared around Souji's face, spelling out what he blinked in Morse code.
Souji's eyes blinked, looking at Ryu, slow and deliberate, spelling out: 10100 0 000\ Yes.
Ryu let out a soft chuckle. "You're blinking so much with all that Morse code; your eyes must be hurting.
Souji's eyes blinked again, a slightly faster, perhaps amused, rhythm: Just a little
Ryu then joked, "We should probably get you some eye drops for that, or perhaps a small, dedicated blinking-to-text device. But hey, at least your Morse code skills are getting a workout! Though, honestly, this is more fun."
Souji's eyes blinked once more, a new question forming, betraying a flicker of curiosity: Why no board?
Ryu tilted his head, a knowing smile playing on his lips. "Because, dear Souji," he began, calm and sure, imbued with a quiet confidence, "even though I'm just a kid, I think a bit quicker than most grown-ups. I can turn your eye blinks into words right away. It makes things easier for both of us."
"It's good to have someone who cares about you," Ryu remarked. He moved a little closer, a genuine sparkle in his eye, a touch of his own past loneliness showing through. "I understand… I used to be an orphan too. The world can seem very lonely when you're by yourself, a vast, indifferent void."
Ryu moved to a different spot, a playful smile on his lips, and continued, "It's wonderful that you have a girlfriend. This hospital is not very easy to move around in, but I've heard she walks these halls every single day just to be here for you. Your girlfriend on wheels is very strong. Stronger than many shinobi I know."
Souji's eyes blinked once, a slow, deliberate movement, spelling out: Rina is strong. I am lucky.
Ryu was briefly taken aback by the profound simplicity of words from someone so completely trapped within their own body. Hearing the word 'lucky' from a patient who was unable to move served as a powerful, almost humbling, reminder of the indomitable strength of the human spirit. "Indeed, she is," Ryu replied, a gentle smile spreading across his face. He let out a soft laugh. "And you, my friend, are luckier than you know."
"Good," Ryu continued. "You both need that strength, especially with everything that's happened. The road ahead is not for the faint of heart."
Ryu paused, letting the light small talk fade, the comfortable silence now tinged with a different anticipation. His expression grew earnest, his gaze unwavering as he met Souji's eyes, the unspoken weight of his next words palpable. "Souji, I need to be frank with you. Through conventional medical ninjutsu, treating your condition is impossible. It's beyond the current understanding of even the most skilled medical shinobi."
Ryu let the full weight of his words hang in the air. "Healing the brain comes with many restrictions; it's a delicate, complex organ, far more intricate than any other part."
Ryu continued, his voice tinged with frustration at medical science's limitations. "Even if we were lucky, current medical procedures could give you a few good years before the worst happens. It's a medical dead end, a path paved with good intentions and terrible results."
Souji's eyes, locked onto Ryu's, blinked furiously, spelling out his desperate, raw question, a plea for understanding: Is this impossible then?
Ryu locked eyes with him, his voice firm, leaving no room for misinterpretation. "For most people? Absolutely. Frankly, the only other living person on this planet who could even attempt to fix you—besides me, of course—is Orochimaru."
"But... he's got zero reason to heal you. He'd be more inclined to carve you up for research than offer a cure, treating you as a mere specimen. That man makes Doctor Hoshino look like a saint, a paragon of virtue by comparison. He's deeply involved in illegal experiments on kidnapped children and countless other atrocities, a true monster of science. He even tried to get me to donate my body for his research once, hinting I'd make a fascinating specimen for his twisted experiments. So yeah, I wouldn't recommend him for a second. He's the last person you'd want on your medical team."
Souji's eyes blinked again, a different, more cautious question forming, a glimmer of hope amidst the despair: If it's impossible to heal, how will you?
Ryu offered a small, knowing smile, leaning closer, his presence filling the sterile air with a sense of boundless possibility. "You're right. I'm not going to heal you, Souji. I'm going to modify you."
Souji's eyes blinked, reflecting pure bewilderment, a silent, profound question: How?
"Fuinjutsu," Ryu stated, the word hanging in the air, potent and weighty, imbued with the promise of revolution. "I'm going to replace the part of your brain that controls motor function with a specialised Fuinjutsu construct. A finely tuned, chakra-based system that will interface directly with your nervous system."
A flicker of disbelief, quickly overtaken by a spark of desperate hope, crossed Souji's face as his eyes blinked: Really?
"Yes," Ryu confirmed, his voice serious and resolute. "That's why I'm here. This Fuinjutsu isn't just a powerful technique; it's a forbidden art, a secret of immense power. You'll literally be carrying something of immense value, a secret that makes you a constant target for those who seek power. I always encrypt my seals, making them nearly impossible to decipher without my unique knowledge, but your future kidnappers wouldn't know that. This would also undoubtedly put Rina in grave danger, a risk I do not take lightly."
Souji's eyes blinked furiously, a new kind of fear replacing the fragile hope, the realisation of the immense risk dawning on him: What should I do?
"Come with me," Ryu urged, his voice firm and persuasive. "I'm building a private ninja force. Think of it like a new clan, bound by a shared vision, a common purpose that transcends traditional village loyalties. A place where everyone, regardless of their limitations, can find power, purpose, and a new beginning. And I want you in it, Souji. Your unique perspective will be invaluable."
Souji's blinking slowed, his next question betraying a deep, ingrained self-doubt, a lifetime of feeling inadequate speaking through his eyes: Would I be of much help? Even if I had multiple affinities, I wasn't good at it.
Ryu replied gently but firmly. "Don't worry about your condition. There are certain restrictions set upon me regarding who I can recruit: I can only take those who physically cannot become ninjas through conventional means. Those whom the world has cast aside, the overlooked, the forgotten."
Ryu then explained his interest in Souji. He leaned in a little closer, his gaze unwavering, connecting with Souji on a profound level. "Like you, I used to have a disease that couldn't be cured. I'm getting people to help me change the world now that I'm better. You are the only one who truly knows how terrible this world can be, the depths of its suffering and injustice. That needs to change. Will you help me, Souji? Will you join me in forging a better future?"
Souji's eyes blinked, then he spelt out a single, hesitant word, a condition for his acceptance: If Rina...
Ryu smiled, a reassuring warmth in his gaze, understanding the unspoken plea. "Don't worry about her. I always plan to invite her too, and more than that... to replace her wheels with something better. Something that will allow her to move freely and fly. But don't tell her," he added, a playful glint in his eye, a secret shared between them. "I wish to tell her myself. It's a surprise."
Ryu's confidence solidified, his presence filling the sterile room. "As for your current standing with the village, leave that to me. I'll secure Lord Daimyo's official blessing for your inclusion in my force. No one will touch you, or Rina, without facing my full wrath."
Souji's eyes blinked, a fragile, almost disbelieving hope in his question, a dream too grand to fully grasp: Will she really walk?
Ryu's smile widened, a boundless promise in his eyes, echoing the vastness of his ambition. "Not just walk, Souji. She will fly. Trust me. We will revolutionise what it means to be 'disabled' in this world."
Ryu's words made the hospital room seem less gloomy. Ryu's brazen offer meant more to Souji, who was powerless in bed. It was a beacon of unreachable hope in a life of gloom, promising a future he had never imagined.
Ryu then gets to the main work he came to do. he said to Ryu, "Pardon me, I need to scan your brain." and put his hands on the sides of his head.
- [Temporary Enhance] working on [Improved Eyesight] and [Infrared Vision]
- [Electromagnetic Vision] activated
"Bingo," Ryu said.
"Now i need to light up this brain and see inside," Ryu thought.
- [Magno-Telekinesis Seal – pair] activated
The seal appeared on both of Ryu's hands, and he pushed the generated magnetic fields into the brain and saw how it reacted to magnetic fields using his new spectrum of eyesight. At the same time, he recorded everything he observed using his [Eidetic Memory] and generated a scan of his brain in [Mind Palace] bit by bit.
##PoWeR StOnEs##
If possible, please leave a review here. A review would mean a lot to me and help me expand the story.
Please support me on Patreon.
25+ more chapters, including 5 free chapters for everyone, are available to read on patreon. com/PageTurnerPJ.
Your support is what gets this story going, so please donate PoWeR StOnEs to the story and add it to your library.
Please keep supporting the story.